Momentary Peace
by Yaraslava Rada
Summary: Now re-posted 2012 ! Our poor little Gin-chan's got a problem, and Mido Ban's as oblivious as ever. What happens when Raitei's thrown into the mix? Nothing good! Bad attempt at 'romance' removed, grammar and spelling mistakes fixed, ending re-written! Let me know what you think!


Ban sat in silence as he watched his partner, friend and crush walk away. In shock he sat replaying the events from a few days earlier in his head, wondering just where it all went wrong.

~Flashback~

Ban sat under the tree looking out at the sea that lay several feet out and below them. Ginji sat on the edge of the 360 and also watched the sun rise. Ban noticed the sky slowly filling up with ominous clouds. _Something must be wrong with Ginji_ Ban thought with a frown. He looked over to his partner and saw one of his rare scowls on his face. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong Ginji let out a howl of annoyance. He grabbed his hair and started tugging on it.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled as he tried to rip his hair out. "I'm tired of listening to you, so just SHUT UP!"

"Ginji? What's wrong?" Ban asked confused, mind jumping to conclusions. At the sound of Ban's voice Ginji snapped out of his trance and immediately went back to the happy, hyper Ginji Ban knew and loved. He wrapped his arms around Ban's waist, going for the cold comforting contact.

"Nothing, Ban-chan" he lied with a big, fake grin. Ban frowned but didn't push matters. Ginji always told him everything, eventually. Ban had secrets that Ginji didn't know about. So what's wrong with Ginji having one for a little while? _You know, if he thinks he can keep one secret from you then he will keep two, then three, then four...who knows how many other secrets he's already kept from you. And when Ginji tries to keep a secret, it's usually to his own harm._ Ban's conscious told him, causing his frown to deepen. _But Ginji can't lie for anything… Remember that time he had to pretend to fight you, he did a pretty good job of lying then._

"Ginji you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Of Course Ban-chan." Ginji said with a squeeze as if to assure the older boy that he knew he could trust him. His actions only made Ban more worried.

"I love you, you know that." Ban said seriously. Ginji froze and stepped away, immediately taking his words the wrong (_right_ his mind whispered) way.

"W-what?" Ginji spluttered. Ban mentally cursed, he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"As a best friend, dummy." Ban said with a frown. "I'm not gay." _Yeah, that's why you love Ginji. Not gay my ass. _His words to Ginji were meant to be reassuring, but they only seemed to make him tenser.

"O-oh...O-Of course y-your not..." Ginji stuttered with a hint of forcefulness. "Oyasumi...Ban-kun." Ginji said as he went into the 360_. Ban-KUN? Since when?_ Ban thought, worried frown deepening.

In the morning things only got worse. Ban woke up to a sharp pain in his chest, a pain that usually meant Ginji was in trouble. "Ginji? Ginji where are you?" Ban asked as he lazily glanced over to discover the empty car seat next to him. With a frown Ban sat up and looked around. From what he could see Ginji wasn't near the pain intensified and suddenly a bolt of lightning came down just as it started to rain. _Ginji_. Ban thought in annoyance. "What is that baka up to now?" he asked himself.

When he reached the area the lightning struck he was shocked. Ginji was there, soaking wet, huddled on the ground crying and telling someone repeatedly to shut up. "Ginji?" Ban asked softly. The sound of his voice snapped Ginji out of it and he slowly looked up. Ban's eyes met Ginji's they just stared for a moment. Ban moved to hold Ginji and tell him everything was going to be ok, but as he took a step forward Ginji scooted back. Experimentally he took two steps forward and Ginji scooted the equivalence backwards. "Ginji?" Ban questioned sadly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Ginji said his voice cracking. Ginji slowly stood up and let the rain clean him off. Ginji walked towards the beach to dry in the sun until it was time to go, since he knew how much Ban hated it when he got his car wet.

When it was time to go Ban watched him carefully as he got into the car and buckled up. He scrutinized Ginji's every motion, watching for any signs of awkwardness. It would seem to any normal person that Ginji was fine and nothing had happened, but Ban knew better. As he drove off to the Honky Tonk he kept one worried eye on Ginji. Once they reached the cafe, Ban could see that Paul thought something was off, but being the man Paul is he didn't pry. Natsumi on the other hand frowned and asked Ginji what was wrong.

"Gin-chan? What's wrong?" She asked softly.

"Nothing Natsu-san." He said throwing her that fake smile he seemed to be using a lot lately. She frowned but shrugged it off as she pulled Ban's favorite cup off the shelf and poured hot coffee into it. Ginji just nodded when Natsumi handed him his cup of sugar that he called coffee. Around noon Kazuki and Jubei came and asked Ginji to come with them. Ban got up to go too, but Ginji just said 'I can go on my own. I'll be fine. Don't worry.' Kazuki and Jubei traded subtly shocked looks but fell in with his decision. When they came back around five Kazuki and Jubei looked like they'd been through hell while Ginji didn't even have a scratch on him. Ginji kept apologizing while the other two reassured him that it wasn't his fault and that they'd be ok. Ban's mood only grew more and more sour and later that night Ban confronted his friend.

"Ginji? What was that?"

"Uh...what was what, Ban-san." Ban growled at the name but still persisted.

"What was that with Kazuki and Jubei?" Ban asked flatly.

"Oh, that...well...you see...and, well...um...yeah?" Ginji replied nervously.

"Not 'yeah' Ginji. What the hell is going on?"

"Ban-san...You know you can trust me, ne?"

"Of course, you fool."

"Then trust me." Ginji said uncertainly. Ban sighed but backed off the subject. Ginji would tell him eventually... Wouldn't he?

Ban woke up with a start the next day to once again find Ginji gone...but that's not all that was on his mind, "That dream" he mumbled, blushing as he remembered himself with a certain blond. Ban sighed as he realized that his feelings were getting stronger the more he suppressed them. Two months ago, when he first realized this feeling was love, he thought suppressing it and covering it up would make it go away, now, he wasn't so sure.

Looking around, he saw that, once again, his friend wasn't within view of the 360. On instinct he walked to the spot where Ginji was yesterday, to see him huddled on the ground again. Ban slowly, quietly walked over to Ginji and quickly grabbed his shoulders. He looked into his friends' eyes, searching, and for a fleeting moment he saw conflict. Ginji realizing who he was looking at stuffed it all away, leaving his cheerful facade in its place.

"Why?" Ban asked sadly.

"Why what Ban-san?" Ginji asked hoping Ban hadn't seen the conflict.

"Why didn't you tell me he was trying to take over?" Ban asked annoyed. "And don't put that bloody 'san' at the end of my name damnit!" Ban growled.

"I...didn't think you would care Mido-kun." Ginji said.

"That I wouldn't care?" Ban asked softly, trying to hold back tears as he realized he had been loosing Ginji's friendship without even knowing. "What in HELL made you think I wouldn't care? Gin-chan?" Ban asked his voice breaking.

"I-I I just...I didn't think...I didn't...I...sorry..." Ginji said face hardening as he got up and shrugged off Ban's hands. "I'll leave you alone now. Don't look for me...I...I won't see you round Mido-kun." Ginji said walking away, leaving a shocked Mido Ban behind.

~End Flashback~

That had been three weeks ago and true to his word, Ban had not seen Ginji.

Ban sighed and slammed his head down on the counter.

"Would you like me to add the damage onto your tab?" Paul joked.

"Depends...How much do I owe?" Ban asked warily.

"Well, about 1500 yen."

"What?! Wasn't it like a million times that before? Not, ya know, that I'm complaining..." He backtracked, not wanting to remind Paul of how much he owed, if the man had somehow forgotten.

"Yeah, but one of the two of you managed to pay off your debt." Paul cursed and put a hand over his mouth. "I didn't just say that..."

"You've seen Ginji?!" Ban hissed, venom dripping from his words.

"No...I haven't seen him...in person..."

"What do you mean 'in person'?" Ban demanded.

"...through...the computer..." Paul mumbled.

"You've been talking to him all this time and haven't told me?!" Ban spat.

"You have to understand, Ban-kun. He asked me not to...he said he'd pay off the tab...and he has been.10000 yen a week."

"Where is he? Is he ok?" He demands again, palms on the counter, face looming over his freshly-made coffee.

"Whoa, calm down buddy. He's fine, from what I could tell. He didn't tell me where he is and asked me not to trace it, so I won't. His voice sounded different, a little lower and colder but he acted the same...his hair was spiked up but still blond."

"Cold? Spiked? Are you sure?" Ban asked worriedly.

"Look, I know you miss him and all but he is doing fine-"

"Let me see." Paul sighed, resigned, as he led Ban down into the basement. Putting the video on mute he played it back for Ban to see. _His eyes were still their soft brown, but that posture..._ "Let me hear his voice." Ban ordered. Paul glared but played one small, unimportant clip and Ginji's voice was heard... _definitely more Raitei's then Ginji's but Paul's never heard the Thunder Emperor's voice before so he wouldn't know..._ "Raitei." Ban growled. Paul looked as shocked as he ever did at an unexpected piece of information and mumbled a small 'thunder emperor'. "Those eyes are Ginji's though...what's going on..."

"How do you know?" Paul asked already, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it aloud.

"Cause I've looked into them everyday for the last year and a half." Ban snapped.

"Konichwa?" Kazuki called as he made his way into the computer room. "Paul? Talking to Gin-cha-" when Kazuki sees Ban he stops abruptly.

"No. Ban-kun wanted to see Ginji..."

"Wha-Thread-spool knew?! Now that's not fair! Why did he tell everyone but...me?" Ban asked starting out loud but ending very softly, so softly the other two almost didn't hear him.

"Did you perhaps do something that upset him?" Kazuki asked with a knowing glace. Ban took a moment to think long and hard. _Did I? Was there something that happened that made him angry with me_

"You seem to know. Tell me: what did I do to him?" Ban demands glaring hard at the thread-spinner.

"Ah, that you'll have to find out-" Kazuki was interrupted by a strange ringing coming from the computer. "Why don't you ask him?" Kazuki suggested with a smile.

"No." Paul said sternly. "Get out of here the both of you. Go on. Shoo." He said pushing them up the stairs. Sighing he went to the computer and opened the chat box and saw Ginji's face.

"Is everything alright, Paul-sama? You look strained."

"Of course, Ginji. Tell me...are you Raitei?" Ginji's face morphed to surprise honestly enough.

"No. Well, yes and no. Is it that obvious?" He asked, eyes downcast, a self-depreciating smirk on his face.

"No. Ban pointed out your voice and hair."

"Ah, well, that I have no control over. Raitei and I have come to...an understanding...you could call it...until certain things come to pass..."

"Oh, so...you were saying you wanted Ban out of the cafe, but for how long?"

"Just an hour or so...long enough to set some things in motion."

"Gotcha." Paul said as he ran a hand through his hair. "Later Ginji-kun."

"Good bye Paul-sama..." Ginji replied face split into a grin, hand raised in a peace sign.

Paul looked up from his paper and sighed. It had been a whole day since Kazuki dropped Ban a hint but Ban still hadn't figured it out yet. "Hey. Let's go for a walk Ban-kun." Paul said.

"Go on a walk? With you? Why?" Ban asked suspicious.

"To tell you the truth, I'm sick of all of this. I'm going to tell you what you did wrong." Ban perked up in interest and got up to follow him outside.

"Why do we have to leave?" Paul ignored him and walks away without locking the door. "Hey, Paul. You didn't lock up."

"Don't worry. It will be safe." Paul said surely. Ban glanced back to see a figure creep into the cafe.

-back at the start of it all-

Ginji sat in his usual window, with his friends all worriedly staring at his back.

"Gin-chan?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah...?" Ginji drawls.

"W-what are you doing back here?" Makubex asked for her.

"What? I can't come home every once and a while?"

"But...this isn't your home, Ginji-san." Shido said.

"How would you know?" Ginji said flatly, turning his head to glare coldly at his friend.

"S-sorry Ginji but we haven't seen you since...well, it's been a while." Ren said holding tightly onto Kazuki's arm.

"Whatever." Ginji said walking out. _Why? Of all people I thought the former Voltz members, no, my Friends would accept me._ Ginji frowns_. I guess I was wrong... No one cares for me. Not Ban, not Hevan, Not Kazu-san, not Shido-san, not Ren-chan...no one..._

_*I do, dear Ginji... I will never leave you or betray you. You are me and I am you.*_

_No. Go away! I don't want to talk to you!_

_*Aw, Ginji-kun...you hurt my feelings...*_

_Go away! You feed me nothing but lies!_

_*Come on, you know I'm right. Why don't you just give up and let me get rid of them...?*_

"Cause they're my friends."

*Friends? Pfft. Friends that push you away when you need them the most? That hurt you, without even the slightest hint of your pain? Friends that rip your wounds open, instead of sewing them shut? Ha! You are so funny Ginji-kun. so funny, you make me laugh. Those must be some good friends to hurt you...Good Friends.*

"SHUT UP! I DONT WANT TO HEAR IT! JUST GO AWAY!"

*Aw, Ginji-kun you hurt my feelings. But, go I shall, you need to calm down, dear...just think of all the peace you get with me in control...*

"AARG!"

"Is something wrong Gin-chan?" Kazuki asked rounding the corner.

"No." Ginji spat glaring at some point in the distance.

"You know you can tell me anything."

"...it's Raitei."

"What did he do?"

"He keeps trying to take over. And being in love is just giving him more ammunition..."

"Your in love?" Kazu asked not surprised.

"Yeah."

"With Ban-kun?"

"Is it that obvious?" He asks blushing.

"To me."

"Haha," Ginji says scratching the back of his neck. "You know me too well, Kazu-chan."

"Well, what's the matter?"

"He doesn't like me..."

"How do you know? Since you obviously haven't asked."

"Last night we were talking and he said he loved me..."

~Flashback~

"I love you, you know that." Ban said seriously. Ginji tensed up in shock and stepped away to get a better look at his friend's expression.

"W-what?" Ginji choked, shocked and nervous.

"As a best friend" Ban frowned. "I'm not gay."

"O-oh...O-Of course y-your not..." Ginji forced past his lips. _'I'm not gay...not gay...not...gay...'_ "Oyasumi...Ban-kun." Ginji said as he went into the 360. _DAMN YOU!_

_*What now? You want to blame your loss of Ban on me?*_

_No...I want to damn you...for being right..._

_*Ha. I always knew. If you had any brain, you could tell he why he went after girls, not to cover up his love for you, like you so love to think, but because he really prefers the fairer sex. You should have seen it…but no, you're too dense.*_

"I AM NOT!" Ginji yelled out loud.

_*Hahaha see what did I tell you? You're dense.*_

"Damn you. Just damn you to Hell." Ginji fell into a fitful sleep despite Raitei's laughing.

~End Flashback~

"And that's how I know."

"Oh, Gin-kun!"

"No. Its ok really I've come to terms with it and I told Mido-san goodbye last night. I'm leaving him...that's why...that's why..."

"...You came back."

"Yeah...this place...it's home to me...I lived most of my life within Mugenjou's walls..."

"I'll go find you a room. Why don't you wander and explore the changes? I'll find you for dinner."

"Thanks Kazu-chan. You really are the best." Ginji said hugging the younger boy.

"No problem Gin-kun. Would you like me to tell the others?"

"No. I will...once I'm ready."

"Alright, Gin-kun."

"Thank you Kazu-chan." Ginji said bowing, Kazu returned the bow and walked off.

Ginji wandered around aimlessly reminiscing, until his feet brought him to where Shuu died. He sat, well more like fell, down and cried. He wished his friend were here now. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he looked up to see Kazuki looking down at him. Ginji sniffled and Kazuki pulled him into a hug. They sat like that for a while and Kazuki handed Ginji a laptop. Ginji looked at him like he was crazy.

"Makubex said he would teach you how to use it. That way you can talk to Paul and Gen easily."

"Aa, thanks Kazu-chan...I just hope I don't break it..."

"Thank Makubex...and I think he said something about it being accident-proof."

"Where is he?"

"Come." Ginji nodded and followed Kazuki down some stairs into a strange looking hallway. "We built this to make it easier to move from place to place through the lower level." Ginji nodded and Kazuki continued. "It reaches every safe house including Gen's." Once again Ginji just nods. As they pass doors Kazu points them out and says which ones are fake and which belong to whom and the easiest way to remember.

Finally they reach a door with an almost invisible computer on it. When they get to the top of the stairs Kazuki explains that the rooms are password protected, and each person has a different password for each person's room. Kazuki types in his password and drags Ginji in with him. "MAKUBEX!" Kazuki yells into the apartment.

Makubex comes from behind some door that didn't exist before he opened it, caring a bunch of computer parts. Ginji stared blankly as Maku dropped the parts and grabbed him by the waist. Ginji hugged back lightly.

"Is something wrong Gin-chan?" Makubex asked innocently.

"No. I just wished I got this greeting when I first came back..."

"Sorry Gin-chan. I was just shocked. Lets learn how to use your computer now, shall we? I made it especially for you, it's got a super awesome battery that'll just absorb any electric impulses you accidentally feed into it, plus most of the parts are insulated against electricity! It was a real challenge coming up with something you can use easily without problems! I've even made you a case that protects against..."

Three weeks later, after much arguing with Paul, he finally agreed to allow Ginji to go into the shop and have a decent cup of coffee. Of course, he couldn't go in the cafe with Ban there (hence the arguing), so Paul would take Ban out for a while and leave a fresh cup on the counter for him. Ginji sat on the roof of the shop across the street waiting for Ban and Paul to leave. When they were out of earshot he slipped down and scoffed. Ban couldn't even sense his presence.

_*Well, duh. That's what we were training for, dummy! But you know, if he really cared-*_

_I know! Its...it's just I...I don't know..._ Ginji thinks back as he walks into the Honky Tonk.

He sat, silently sipping his coffee, reminiscing about Ban, when Hevan walked in and gasped.

"GINJI-KUN!" She yelled really loud, rushing over to give him a hug.

"Hevan..." Ginji mumbled. "What's up?" He asked.

"Oh, this and that. How are you? Are you back for good? Where were you?" She asks taking a seat next to him, noticing his lack of perverted reaction to her hug.

"I'm fine, No I'm not back for good and I can't tell you where I was since I'm going back and I don't want Ban to bother me." Ginji said with a frown.

"Ginji-kun. We missed you." Hevan mumbled eyes locking with his. "Ban hasn't been the same since you left. He's been all depressed and pouty, he hasn't taken a job since you left..."

"I know, I know..." He said looking at the clock. His eyes widened. "I've got to go." Ginji said quickly. He sneaked out the door looking both ways to make sure Ban wasn't there. Just when he thought he was safe, he saw Ban and Paul turn onto the street. Ginji cursed lightly as he saw Ban look up from the ground, eyes connecting directly to his.

"Ginji?" Ban asked quietly as Paul snorted and Ginji bolted. Quick as lightning he jumped over the building and dashed towards the new hidden entrance to Mugenjou. But Ban was just as fast, keeping pace easily. Ban watched as Ginji ran through the wall of Mugenjou and trusting his instinct, he ran for it too.

Following Ginji's blond, spiky hair, he saw several doors Ginji could have gone through to get away, and yet didn't. Ginji threw open a door and closed it behind him. Ban cursed as the doors suddenly slid down the hall on both sides. He opened the door where Ginji had walked into only to find an angry bear. Ban quickly closed the door and cursed. Did the rooms change when the doors moved? He asked himself.

Ginji watched in almost detached curiosity as Ban slid down the wall deep in thought. He could almost her Ban thinking 'What door did Ginji go through?' Ginji laughed softly and walked up the stairs, punched in the secret password to his door. Once he was sure the door was shut and re-locked, he walked to his laptop to let the other's know about the intruder.

Last_Thread_Sipnner: He's here?

Thunder_God: Yeah... :(

Thunder_God: Keep an eye on him for me will ya?

X-man: He's not in the hall anymore...

X-man: Check your door.

Thunder_God: Will do.

Thunder_God: He's there! What am I going to do?

X-man: Just keep your door locked and set it so he can't get in.

Thunder_God: ok...

Thunder_God: ...what if he gets through?

Last_Thread_Spinner: He can't...unless you want him to...

Thunder_God: But what if I DO want him to?

X-man: Then let him in.

Thunder_God: but, I don't

Last_Thread_Spinner: then don't

Thunder_God: I'm confused.

X-man: If you want him in then let him. If you don't then don't.

Thunder_God: But what if part of me does but part of me doesn't...?

Last_Thread_Spinner: then just wait. Time will tell which is stronger.

Thunder_God: thanks...I think...

Patiently he sat, computer folded on his lap, waiting...waiting for whatever was going to happen next. He was in front of the door that he knew Ban was behind...Ban who was trying to figure out what the code was. He was probably thoroughly confused by now. So many different people had come through that door over the past three weeks and so many different keys had been pressed that Ginji was sure Ban would not figure out any single password. Only four keys had been left untouched. If Ban wanted to, he could figure it out, if he used that wonderfully smart brain of his.

Ban sat impatiently in front of the door that he knew Ginji was behind. He had noticed the different aura Ginji possessed during their chase. It was like cold fire, enticing and enigmatic all in one...he held it close to him as if it alone could tell him the password...the fact that Ginji was still on the other side of the door told him one of two things, either Ginji had grown unimaginably cocky during the month they were apart, or he wanted Ban to figure out the password.

Looking at the keyboard through his glasses he saw many fingerprints on the keys. There was no way he would correctly guess the password if it had that many different letters in it, there were hundreds of thousands of combinations, and knowing Makubex the password wouldn't only be one word.

There were, however, four keys that were suspiciously untouched. The 'E' 'O' 'L' and 'V' keys hadn't been pressed at all in the three weeks Ginji had stayed there. He wondered if there was anything special about these keys. Frowning he tried to think of something that had all four of these letters in it.

E-V-O-L-V-E

"WRONG! You have. Three. tries left."

"Whoa." Ban tripped back falling down the stairs at the sudden sound. He hears Ginji laughing from behind the door and play-growls, honestly just happy to hear that laugh. Walking back up the stairs he tries again.

V-O-L-E

"WRONG! You have. Two. tries left."

V-E-L-O

"WRONG! You have. ONE. try left." By this time Ban was annoyed and worried. Why couldn't he think of the right word that ha and V in it? Why was this so hard? He sat down and tried to think. "Agar!" Ban growled. A sad laugh was heard and he looked up. "Ginji?" he asked.

"Yes Mido-kun?" Ginji's tear filled voice called from the other side.

"What's a word that has an e, o, l and v in it?" Ban asked hopefully. A word was mumbled through the door far too soft for Ban to hear. "What was that Ginji? I didn't quite catch that." Ban said his hopes lifting.

"Only the most important word in the human language." Ginji stated flatly.

"There is no such word, my friend for G-I-N-J-I is the most important word in the human language." Ban said jokingly, trying to get his friend to laugh.

"Oh, I can think of at least two others." Ginji said monotonously from the other side.

"Oh? And what might those be?" Ban asked desperately.

"Ban and Love, my friend, Ban and love." Ginji said and Ban could physically feel his presence moving away from the door. And boy did it hurt.

"Ban? And...and love?" He says blushing. "...huh? Love? That's it!" Ban shouted as he stood up and typed in love on the keyboard.

Welcome, MIDO-KUN. The computer said as the door unlocked. Ban reached for the handle and yanked the door open.

Ban gasped as he opened the door, for Ginji's 'apartment' was big enough to be a house. It was completely furnished with silk and silver. _How did Ginji get all of this?_ He asked himself. He looked around trying to find his friend when he heard thunder. Shocked, he ran up the nearest stairs to find Ginji standing in the pouring rain looking out over Mugenjou. "Ginji?" Ban called hesitantly, taking half a step forward.

"This is your choice." Ginji said.

"What? What is my choice?" Ban asked.

"I don't know. Only you do." Ginji said desolately. "...Would you like to see him jump off this building and die or would you like to kill him and get it over with?" Ginji asked, eyes frozen over.

"Raitei!" Ban says shocked. "Stop it! Let Ginji go!"

_This isn't what we agreed on!_ Ginji yells in his head.

"But this is a much more satisfying ending, don't you think, dear?" Raitei says aloud to Ginji.

_I don't want to die! He's not worth dying over! NOTHING is worth dying over!_

"Really Ginji? That's not what you've thought over the last two weeks, dying is all you've thought about. Throwing yourself off the top of Mugenjou, imagining the weightless fall, the blacking out before you hit the bottom, a peaceful way to go, only that would leave your friends with quite the mess to clean up, wouldn't it Gin-chan?"

"What? You-you want to die, Ginji?!"

_NO! No Ban! I don't want to die! Really, I dont!_ Ginji begs, wishing that he hadn't listened to Raitei, that he had left their mental connection in tact. _Quit twisting my thoughts, bastard! See if I ever make a deal with you again!_

_*Poor Naive little, Ginji. Now, let's see if he truely loves you!*_

"I want to hear it from him..." Ban says still in shock. "...I want him to say it."

"B-ban-chan..." Raitei imitates. "It's true...just do it..." _Bastard! STOP IT! Ban! Don't listen to him!_ Raitei laughs.

"...well, that's too bad, Gin-chan! I can't let you die! Raitei! Let him go!"

"Why? So he can live the rest of his life in pain?"

"What?" _It's not true! Really, it's not!_ Ginji cries, hoping that mental connection is strong enough for Ban to hear him.

"For the past year and a half Ginji has been living in pain. Why? You have the nerve to ask?"

"Yes." Ban snarkly replied.

"For my dear Mido-kun. Ginji is in love."

"What?" Ban whispered in disbelief, dots finally connecting.

"He is in love, dear Mido. In love with you."

"Ginji...I-I..."

"It's ok, Mido-sama. You made it perfectly clear that you're not gay. Just let me go and I'll be able to leave you alone...forever..." Raitei imitated again. By this point Ginji was in hysterics inside his own head.

"You-you thought I was serious?"

"Ban-chan...I..I'm sorry..." Ginji forced out, apologizing for trusting Raietei, for not being able to believe him now when he's about to die, "I...I love you." Laughing, Raitei forced Ginji to jump off the roof but Ban chased after him. Diving, Ban caught up with Ginji and held him tight.

"Gin-chan...If you die, I'm going with you." Ban said through gritted teeth.

"No!" Ginji yelled, finally forcing Raitei back to the far reaches of his mind. Using his electricity he magnetizes Ban and himself to one of the walls of Mugenjou. Ginji lands, back against the building, Ban held tight in his arms. After a few seconds to let the adrenaline fade Ginji gestured that Ban should make his way into the building. They sat on the floor of the abandoned room in silence for a few minutes. Ban desperately trying to make eye contact, while Ginji absolutely refused to even look at him.

"Ginji...I love you, the same way you love me. I only covered saying I wasn't gay, because your body language screamed you didn't like me like that..."

"Ban-chan..." Ginji said, watery eyes turning to face him. "I love you...but I just want you to know, that I wouldn't kill myself over your rejection, so you don't have to pretend. Raitei-"

"Ginji. I'm not saying I love you so you'll not kill yourself. I really do love you, you fool."

"But how could you? Nobody loves me..."

"I'm sure all of your friends do, Ginji."

"But Raitei-"

"You're going to listen to the guy who threw you off a building? The guy who twisted your words to make me think you were suicidal?"

"We had an agreement..."

"I'm sure it didn't involve suicide."

"Well, no. It was more along the lines of, if you loved me, he would leave me alone..."

"And if I didn't?"

"I'd...him...control..." Ginji mumbled sheepishly.

"So you wouldn't kill yourself, just the rest of the world."

"Ban-chan!"

"He knew I loved you...that's why he broke the deal, right Ginji?"

"...probably..."

That night you could have walked through Mugenjou without getting mugged, raped or even threatened. Something told the people that this was their moment of rest and they used it wisely. Their thunder emperor had returned and all was as it should be, if only for the night.


End file.
